Free Republic

BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. (AP) - In the mountains of Southern California, it's the new sound of summer: the whine of a chain saw followed by the whoosh and thud of a falling tree. Logging crews are moving through neighborhoods and across densely forested hillsides, racing to cut as many dead and dying trees as they can before the area erupts in flames. It's a battle no one expects to win this year - and perhaps not anytime soon. "We have an extremely hazardous situation out there even though we've made a lot of progress," said San Bernardino County Fire...

July 4, 2002 Fireworks take back seat A helicopter approaches the fire, which had grown to more than 200 acres by Wednesday at sunset.Jim Grant/Tahoe Tribune By Greg Crofton, Jeff Munson, Tahoe Daily Tribune A wildfire burning out of control east of Heavenly Ski resort has consumed more than 200 acres and several hundred Upper Kingsbury Grade residents have been evacuated, officials said. The fire began around 12:40 p.m. just east of Heavenly Gondola Towers 11 and 12. A couple traveling down the gondola reported smoke to the resort. As of 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, 420 firefighters, eight air tankers, seven...